Automobile-jack.



J. M. LOWE.

AUTOMOBILE JACK.

APPLlCATlON FILED MAR. 21, um.

Patented Dc. 11,1912:

3 .SHEETS-SHEET LQQQAS? J. M. LOWE. AUTOMOBILE JACK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21. I917.

Patented Dec. 11, 1912 3 SHEETS SHEET 2 an monk:

J. M. LOWE.

AUTOMOBILE JACK. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21. 1917. 11 flc flfi'ym Patented Dec. 11, 191?.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- attozhug J JOHN M. LOWE, E BUTLER, INDIANA.

AUTOMOBILE-JACK.

manner.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented nee. ii, ieit.

. Application flied March 21, 1917. Serial No. 156,352.

To all whom it may concern:

ler, in the county of Dekalb and State of Indiana. have invented anew and useful Automobile-Jack, of which the following 1s a specification.

1 The present invention appertains to jacks,

and aims to provide a novel and improved device of that character adapted especially for jacking up automobiles which are en- .cumbered at the front and rear by a bumper and tank, respectively, or the llke, so that .the axles are not readily accessible for the use of ordinary jacks.

It is the object of the invention to provide a jack which can be readily moved under an automobile, from either end, and wh ch is operable in a convenient and effective manner for jacking up either axle.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and. in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made Within the scope of what is claimed, with-,

out departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of a double embodying the present improvements.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, illustrating one of the supporting casters.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a fragmcntal plan view illustra ting a modification of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of one of the standards.

Fig. 7 is a similar View illustrating a jack modified form of standard.

piece 3, and said bars converge townrdthcir other ends, the latter ends being provided with the upturned portions or posts/i provided at their upper ends with the horizontal brackets 5 cross piece 3. u

The base or base frame is preferably rendered portable, in order that it canbe readily moved about on the floor by itself or with the vehicle supported thereon. Thus, upper and lower plates 6 and 7 are secured to the corners of the base between the bars 2 and projecting away from the 'cross piece 3, and bearings 8 are bolted or The.

otherwise secured upon the plates 6. plates 7 have depending bearings 9 in which the upstanding caster spindles 10 are mounted for rotation. A head His secured upon the upper end of each spindle 10 and antifrictional bearing balls 12 are disposed be tween the-head 11 and corresponding bearing 8. Anti-frictional rollers 13 are also preferably disposed between the spindles 10 and bearings 9 in order that the caster can rotate easily about a vertical axis. The lower end of the spindle 10 has an angularly extending bearing 1% through which atransverse axle 15 is journaled, a pair of wheels 16 being secured upon the terminals of said axle or being mounted for rotation upon said axle. One of these casters is disposed at each corner of the frame, and another caster is provided near the other end of the frame to provide a three point support for the base or is carried by the base -or frame, and embodies a pair of side bars 18 convergin from one end to the other, similar to tie bars 2.

Those ends of the be rs 18 which are farthest apart are connected by a cross rod 19, and the bearings 8 have concavcd seats 20 for the rod 19,,to fulcrum the corresponding end of the lever 17 to the base. The other terminals of the ba rs 18 extend across the posts 4. at the outer sides thereof, and this end of the lever is raised and lowered by a windlass or winch as will be described presently.

'lhe Windlass for actuating the lever 17 embodies a short longitudinal shaft 21, providing a drum, and journalcd in bearings .22 and 23 secured to and disposed between the brackets 5, a chain 2+. or other ilexibleelenicnt being secured to the shaft- 21 to be wound thereon. ".lhe lower end of the chain is connected by a clevis 25 or otherwise to the free end of the lever. The outer end of.

re ease? the shaft 21 has a. head 26 through which a radial crank arm 2? is slidable, said arm being held in any adjusted position by means of a set screw 28 carried by the head 26. The arm 27 has a crank handle whereby the shaft or drum 21 can be readily rotated by. hand. A ratchet wheel 30 secured upon the shaft 21 adjacent to the head 26 is adapted to be engaged by a pawl 31 carried by the bearing 23 to prevent the chain it from unwinding when it has been wound upon the shaft to raise the lever 17, although the pawl can be disengaged from the ratchet wheel to permit the chain to unwind when it is desired to lower the lever 17.

Each bar or section 18 of the l? ver 17 carries suitable means for engaging the axle or, other part of the vehicle. Thus, a standard 32 is provided for each bar 18, the same embodyi-ng bars 33 secured together adjacent to their upper ends, their lower terminals being separated, as at 34, to straddle the bar 18. The upper ends of the bars 33 have an axle seat 35 extending at an angle therefrom, and the terminals or limbs 3d are secured pivotally to the bar 18 by means of a pin 36 engaged therethrough. A guide 37 is fastened by a bolt 38 or otherwise to the corresponding bar 2 of the base frame for the terminals 84 to slide through when the axle or other part of the vehicle is seated on the seat The bars 2 and 18 have series of apertures Slifor the engagement of the pin .86 and bolt 38, whereby the parts can be adjusted.

A shorter standard or member 10 also straddles each bar 18, and is held in various adjusted positions bymeaus of a pin or retaining element 4E1 engageable through the aperture 39. A longitudinal member 42 secured within the standard slides and seats upon the bar 18, and the upper end of the standard 40 has a seat 43. Either of the two pairs of standards can be used, it being noted that when the standards 32 are not in use, they can be swung out of the way the terminals being withdrawn from the stops 37.

ln use, it will be noted that the jack can be readily slid under either end of an automobileto bring the fulcrumed end of the lever 18 underneath the machine, so that the axle seats are brought underneath the-respective axle, and it Will be noted that the jack can be moved underneath the bumper or tank without inconvenience. Then, by rotating the crank arm 27 to wind the chain upon the shaft or drum 21, this will raise the lever 17 and the axle or other part of the vehicle being engaged by the seats of the lever 17 will be raised. It will be noted that the lever has spaced seats for the axle, whereby to completely raise the corresponding end of the automobile, and a second jack can be used for raising the other end of the vehicle, in which event, the vehicle can be pushed about on the jacks.

In Fig. 5, a slight modification is illustrated, in that the lifting lever 17 extends between the bar 2 of the base frame, and only one oi the bars 18 of the lever is extended beyond the pointwhcre the bars 18 converge together. A casting or cross piece (3 between the bars 2 has the casters 16" applied thereto. In this form. the lever will be between the posts a of the base frame instead of at the outer side thereof as above described.

Fig. 7 illustrates a standard similar to that shown in Fig. 6, with the except ion that one of the bars 33 is shorter than the other.

A single jack is depicted in Fig. 8, whereas the jack shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is of the double type. Thebase or frame 1" comprises the longitudinal side bars 2 having the upturned portions 3" at one end and the upturned pm'tions or posts 1* at the other end provided with the brackets 5 carrying the bearings and 23 the same as the brackets 5 above described. Suitable supporting wheels 1(3 are applied to the bars 2 adjacent to the ends thereof. The lever l7 which projects at its free end between the posts 4 for the connection of the chain 2i has its other end pivoted or fulcrumed between the portions 3, and this lever 1.7 ca'ries the axle supports, the same as each of the bars 18 above described. If desired, as shown in Fig. 9, two or more fulcrum pins 20 can be carried by the portions 3, and the lever 17' has a notch 19 for engaging the pins 20", in order that the lover 17 can be adjusted vertically.

Having thus described the invention, what is; claimed as new is:

A jack embodying a base having a pair of bars provided with upturned posts at one end, said posts having brackets projecting away from the opposite end of the base, a lever fulcrumcd upon the base near the last n'ientioned end thereof and projecting past said posts under the brackets, bearings secured to and extending across the space between the brackets, a drum jourualcd in the bearings between the brackets, actuating means connected to the drum, and a flexible element connected to the lever below the brackets and to the drum between the bearings to be wound thereon.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto alfixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

J OHN M. LOWE. l Vitn esses Arman .l. Pinon, Wnmiur. /Vrsn. 

